Walt Disney World News and Rumors - 5/16/16 - 5/22/16

News

Magic Kingdom

• The new Mickey’s Royal Friendship Faire show is coming to the Cinderella Castle Forecourt Stage at the Magic Kingdom on June 17.
• The Liberty Square Riverboat is closing for refurbishment from August 1-7. 
• The Swiss Family Treehouse is scheduled to close for refurbishment from July 6 through to September 24.

Epcot

• Frozen Ever After and the Royal Sommerhaus will be opening in the Norway Pavilion on June 21.The Norway Pavilion will open daily at 9:00 a.m., along with the Future World area of Epcot.
• Epcot Guests will be given a chance to enjoy farewell flights on classic Soarin’ starting May 27 trough June 16. Soarin’ Around the World will debut on June 17.

Disney's Hollywood Studios

• The new Star Wars: A Galactic Spectacular will begin nightly performances on June 17.
• One Man’s Dream will be closed for refurbishment July 16-19. 
• MuppetVision 3D is scheduled to be closed for refurbishment August 15-22.

Disney's Animal Kingdom

• The Jungle Book: Alive with Magic live show will officially debut at Disney’s Animal Kingdom on Saturday, May 28. The Jungle Book: Alive with Magic will be a 20-minute long show that will feature memorable moments from the film and will be filled with music and special effects. Showtimes are at 9:00 p.m. and 10:30 p.m.
• The Pangani Forest Exploration Trail will be renamed to Gorilla Falls Exploration Trail.
• Dinosaur is scheduled to be closed for refurbishment from July 25 through September 29.

General Walt Disney World News

• The Flying Fish at Disney’s Boardwalk will feature an all-new kitchen and dining room (with expanded space for private dining events) and sparkling architectural accents when it reopens from its refurbishment. Next door, the new AbracadaBar lounge opens in the former location of Seashore Sweets and it combines the Golden Age of Magic with Disney storytelling. 
• Disney Grad Nite H2O will debut at Disney’s Typhoon Lagoon Water Park on select Friday nights in April. The event will be themed as a beach party and will feature Disney characters, music, DJ entertainment, and dance parties, along with the water park’s attractions. The special ticketed event will be offered for $55 plus tax and schools can register online by visiting Disneygradnite.com to reserve space.

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Walt Disney World News 5/9/16 - 5/15/16

News

Epcot

• New details have been released for the 2016 Epcot Food and Wine Festival. This year, the “Mix It, Make It, Celebrate It!” hands-on workshops will take place at the Festival Center and will offer guests a chance to learn a variety of culinary skills from chefs, bakers, mixologists and other pros. Global marketplaces will extend into Future World again. Guests can choose a favorite hard soda to mix with vanilla ice cream for a sweet treat at Desserts & Champagne marketplace. A savory vegan dish will debut at the Greece marketplace, and the Farm Fresh marketplace will showcase new savory dishes. Culinary icons like Cat Cora, Norman Van Aken, Masaharu Morimoto, Elizabeth Falkner, Buddy Valastro and Jamie Deen will entertain foodies and inspire their palates at new and returning premium events will include reimagined Party for the Senses tastings with new concepts and themes.Wang Chung (Everybody Have Fun Tonight!) will open the Eat to the Beat concert series on September 14-15. More new acts in the concert series lineup, include Delta Rae and Toad The Wet Sprocket. Other popular acts that are returning including Wilson Phillips, Boyz II Men and Jeffrey Osbourne.

Disney's Hollywood Studios

• Three additional food and beverage offerings called Echo Lake Eats will debut. Beginning May 20, Guests will have the option to choose from Hollywood Waffles of Fame, serving delightful sandwiches, with one on a waffle; Bocados del Lago Nachos y Empanadas, serving mouth watering nachos and empanadas; and Sliders to the Stars, serving delicious BBQ and brisket sliders.

Disney Springs

• Disney Springs has debuted the Town Center. The following venues are now open:
• ALEX AND ANI
• American Threads
• Edward Beiner
• Everything But Water
• francesca’s
• Johnston & Murphy
• kate spade new york
• Kipling
• L’Occitane en Provence
• Lucky Brand
• MAC Cosmetics
• Melissa Shoes
• Na Hoku
• PANDORA
• Sephora
• Sperry
• Tommy Bahama
• UGG
• Under Armour Brand House
• UNOde50
• Vera Bradley
• Volcom
• ZARA

In addition seven new specialty-dining locations are now open at Disney Springs:

• Amorette’s Patisserie
• B. Wolf’s Sausage Co.
• D-Luxe Burger
• Morimoto Asia Street Food
• Sprinkles
• The Daily Poutine
• YeSake

• Disney Springs Guest Relations is now located at the Welcome Center in Town Center.
• The Lime Garage is now open.
• STK Orlando will open on May 25 in The Landing.
• New shops have been announced for Disney Springs. They are:
  
  • Origins: A high-performance skincare retailer featuring products formulated with certified organic ingredients and 100 percent natural essential oils. The socially-conscious brand employs earth-friendly practices, including a Plant-A-Tree program.

  • Sugarboo & Co.: With products featuring creative and whimsical designs, this family-run business offers artful prints, home goods, paper products, accessories and more.

  • Superdry: Focusing on clothing with designs that fuse vintage Americana and Japanese-inspired graphics with a British style, Superdry offers a variety of products ranging from outerwear and knitwear to leather goods and leisurewear.

  • TUMI: A leading global brand of premium travel, business and lifestyle accessories.

  
  
  General Walt Disney World News
  
  

  • The sale of Disney Dollars has ended. Guests can now purchase Disney Gift Cards as an alternate option. 

  
  

  

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Walt Disney World News and Rumors - 5/2/16 - 5/8/16

News

Magic Kingdom 

• Tickets are now on sale for both Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party and Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party.
• A new Cinderella Castle Forecourt Stage show will be introduced for Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party called “Mickey’s Most Merriest Celebration.” It will feature Mickey and his pals who invite some of their friends over for an unforgettable Christmas party filled with music, dancing, color and fun. 

Epcot

• Characters from Finding Dory have begun appearing in Turtle Talk with Crush including Dory, Destiny the whale shark, Bailey the beluga whale, Hank the “septopus” (a seven-legged octopus), Squirt and Nemo and his dad Marlin during this fun-filled show.
• Alberta Bound is now playing at The Mill Stage in the Canada Pavilion. The five piece live band plays traditional music from across Canada, Wednesday through Sunday. 
• Pluto will now meet at the gazebo when you first walk into World Showcase and Daisy meets at the front of the park.

Disney's Hollywood Studios

•  At Celebrity Spotlight located near Echo Lake, Guests are now able meet Olaf from Frozen. 
• In addition, Mickey and Minnie Starring in Red Carpet Dreams is now located just off Commissary Lane where Guests will be able to walk the red carpet and step into a scene with Minnie Mouse, where she appears as a Tinsel Town starlet and then visit Mickey Mouse dressed as the Sorcerer’s Apprentice next door.
• Pluto now meets in the Animation Courtyard where Minnie once met. 

General Walt Disney World News

• Ample Hills Creamery, the new ice cream parlor for Disney’s BoardWalk will open May 15.

Rumors 

• Chip n' Dale will relocate from Frontierland to Tomorrowland. Woody and Jessie will leave their Splash Mountain location to take over Chip n' Dale's old spot.

Walt Disney World News and Rumors 4/25/16 - 5/1/16

News

Epcot

• Alberta Bound will begin playing at the Mill Stage early in May 2016.

Disney's Hollywood Studios

•  The Earffel Tower has been removed from the Backlot area.

Disney Springs

• The Rick Bayless restaurant and will now be known as Frontera Cocina.
• Fulton's Crab House  will reopen in the fall with the new name of Paddlefish.

It's here! Download the all-new DFB Guide to Walt Disney World 2016. It's the best source for finding out all about the latest in Walt Disney World dining!